"THE GOD WHO CAN DELIVER YOU!"

EXODUS 3:1-17

Two buddies were serving together in the mud and misery of WWI. Month after month they lived in the trenches, in the cold and the mud, under fire and under orders. From time to time one side or the other would rise up out of the trenches, fling their bodies against the opposing line and slink back to bind their wounds, tag their dead, and wait to do it all over again. In the process, friendships were forged in the crucible of misery. The two buddies, Jim and Bill, more brothers than friends, were particularly close. Day after day, night after night, terror after terror, they talked of life, of families, of hopes, of what they would do when (and if) they returned from this horror. They knew one another intimately, and cared for one another deeply. Their story illustrates how God viewed and acted toward ancient Israel. In a similar vein, God knew ancient Israel intimately and cared deeply for them, as He does today for His church. As we think of that there are some vital truths to remember about the God who can deliver us.

• GOD KNOWS HIS OWN PEOPLE: V7:
• See how He called Israel "my people." That is a frequent designation of those He has chosen.
• The church is present day Israel; the church is God's kingdom, God's people:
• Paul wrote the church at Rome, "for He is not a Jew who is one outwardly; neither is circumcision that which is outward in the flesh. But He is a Jew who is one inwardly; and circumcision is that which is of the heart, by the spirit, not by the letter; and his praise is not from men, but from God." Romans 2:28-29.
• And, "but it is not as though the word of God has failed. For they are not all Israel who are descended from Israel; neither are they all children because they are Abraham's descendants, but: through Isaac your descendants will be named. That is, it is not the children of the flesh who are children of God, but the children of the promise are regarded as descendants." Romans 9:6-8.
• In Galatians 6:16 Paul called all those who will walk by faith in Jesus Christ "the Israel of God."
• Peter said of the church, "but you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for God's own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of Him who has called you out of darkness into His marvelous light;" 1 Peter 2:9.
• There is something we ought to never forget here: in Christ, you are God's person and He knows you and cares about you!
• "Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and that you are not your own? For you have been bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body." 1 Corinthians 6:19-20.
• "And if you address as father the one who impartially judges according to each man's work, conduct yourselves in fear during the time of your stay upon earth; knowing that you were not redeemed with perishable things like silver or gold from your futile way of life inherited from your forefathers, but with precious blood, as of a lamb unblemished and spotless, the blood of Christ." 1 Peter 1:17-19.
• If God purchased us and claims us as His own, He will not long allow anything or anybody to hold or enslave us!
• If we realize that in Christ we are God's people, what are the ramifications?
• Paul wrote to Timothy, "... the firm foundation of God stands, having this seal, "the Lord knows those who are His," and, "let everyone who names the name of the Lord abstain from wickedness." 2 Timothy 2:19
• Live for Him reverently.
• Glorify Him respectfully.
• Serve Him humbly.
• Obey Him faithfully.
• Thank Him gratefully.

Jim and Bill fought side by side. On one charge Jim fell, severely wounded. His friend, Bill, made it back to the relative safety of the trenches. Meanwhile Jim lay suffering beneath the night flares. Between the trenches. Alone. The shelling continued. The danger was at its peak. Between the trenches was no place to be. Still, Bill wanted to reach his friend, to comfort him, to offer encouragement, to help and rescue him if possible. The officer in charge refused to let Bill leave the trench. It was simply too dangerous. But Bill was painfully aware of his friend's plight and could not shrug it off, danger or no danger. As God views us from heaven, He observes what we are experiencing and does not just shrug it off.

• GOD IS AWARE OF WHAT HAPPENS TO HIS PEOPLE: V7:
• Nothing happens that escapes His notice and concern:
• In Genesis 16:13 we find Hagar fleeing from her mistress Sarai. The angel of the Lord speaks to her and she called the Lord who spoke to her, "Thou art a God who sees".
• Hananai the prophet said to Asa the king, "for the eyes of the Lord move to and fro throughout the earth that He may strongly support those whose heart is completely His." 2 Chronicles 16:9.
• Psalms 34:15 "the eyes of the Lord are toward the righteous, and His ears are open to their cry."
• Proverbs 5:21 "for the ways of a man are before the eyes of the Lord, and He watches all his paths."
• Proverbs 15:3 "the eyes of the Lord are in every place, watching the evil and the good."
• Hebrews 4:13 "and there is no creature hidden from His sight, but all things are open and laid bare to the eyes of Him with whom we have to do."
• 1 Peter 3:12 "for the eyes of the Lord are upon the righteous, and His ears attend to their prayer, but the face of the Lord is against those who do evil."
• God knows what is happening in your life right now!
• the stresses and pressures.
• the hurts and afflictions.
• the failures and losses.
• the worries and anxieties
• God has always been aware of what happens to His people; that's God's way! He was aware of what happened to:
• Job in all His suffering and humiliation.
• The 3 Hebrew men in the fiery furnace.
• Daniel in the lions' den.
• Jonah in the belly of the fish.
• Peter in prison.
• His Son on the cross.
• And He is aware of you and me! Nothing is too small for Him to care about; nothing so insignificant that it escapes His notice; nothing so trivial that it doesn't interest Him. He is aware of it all.

Bill was keenly aware of, and distressed by , his friend's situation. The officer had forbidden Bill to take the risk of rescuing his buddy. But as he turned his back, Bill went over the top. Ignoring the smell of gunpowder in the air, the concussion of incoming rounds, and the pounding in his chest, Bill made it to Jim. Then, crawling as low to the ground as possible, inch by inch, moment by moment, He managed to drag Jim back to the safety of the trenches. He was committed, even at peril to his own life, to do what he could to rescue his fallen comrade.

• GOD HAS COMMITTED HIMSELF TO DELIVER HIS PEOPLE: V8:
• He can help; He will help; He delights to help. Max Lucado puts it this way: "What is God doing when you are in a bind? When the lifeboat springs a leak? When the rip cord snaps? When the last penny is gone before the last Bill is paid? When the last hope left on the last train? What is God doing?" He then gives this answer: "What does God do when we are in a bind? He fights for us. He steps into the ring and points us to our corner and takes over." Exodus 14:14 reminds us "the Lord will fight for you while you keep silent." (When God Whispers Your Name, pp. 153, 161).
• He is the help of the helpless, the friend of the friendless, the strength of the weak, the deliverer of the captive.
• In blessing Israel, Moses said, "there is none like the God of Jeshurun, who rides the heavens to your help, and through the skies in His majesty. The eternal God is a dwelling place, and underneath are the everlasting arms; ..." Deuteronomy 33:26-27.
• Samuel said, after God led them victorious in battle, "thus far the Lord has helped us." 1 Samuel 7:12.
• David said, "but the salvation of the righteous is from the Lord; He is their strength in time of trouble. Psalms 37:40 and the Lord helps them, and delivers them; He delivers them from the wicked, and saves them, because they take refuge in him." Psalms 37:39.
• Isaiah said, "for thou hast been a defense for the helpless, a defense for the needy in his distress, a refuge from the storm, a shade from the heat; for the breath of the ruthless is like a rain storm against a wall." Isaiah 25:4.
• Others make commitments to us; sometimes they fail for one reason or another.
• But Paul says that "God is faithful, through whom you were called into fellowship with His son, Jesus Christ our Lord." 1 Corinthians 1:9. He will deliver us!
• And may we join Abraham in his faith that "with respect to the promise of God, He did not waver in unbelief, but grew strong in faith, giving glory to God, and being fully assured that what He had promised, He was able also to perform." Romans 4:20-21. He will deliver us!
• May this be our persuasion: "for as many as may be the promises of God, in Him they are yes; ..." 2 Corinthians 1:20. He will deliver us!
• In light of all that, Paul urges us, "let us therefore draw near with confidence to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and may find grace to help in time of need." Hebrews 4:16. God has committed Himself to that kind of deliverance and He will honor His word.

Bill fulfilled His commitment of friendship; He crawled out to His wounded friend, and drug him back to the trenches ...too late. His friend was gone. The hard, self righteous officer, seeing Jim's body, cynically asked Bill if it had been worth the risk. Bill's response was without hesitation. "Yes, sir, it was. His last words made it more than worth it. He looked up at me and said, 'I knew you'd come.'" We have the biblical assurance that God will come to our aid. God is never too late, nor is He too early. He may deliver us in this life -- or the next. But for those who put faith in Jesus Christ, deliverance is a given. He can deliver us from fear of death; He can deliver us from our failures; He can deliver us from all our besetting sins; He can deliver us from alcohol and drugs and illicit sex; He can deliver us from pride and self-righteousness; He can deliver us from the wrath of God and certain destruction which comes upon the Godless. He is able to deliver us -- He is able, ready and willing -- He is the God who can deliver you today.

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